Many sheet conveying devices including printing and nonprinting devices include a pathway that branches off in a plurality of directions. The mechanism that assists the sheet to the intended pathway is path selectors which are arranged in series along the path for steering a sheet. The sheet is directed into one of two-pathways by the two-path selector. After the sheet enters the intended pathway, the sheet is again directed into one of the two new pathways by another two-path selector. This pathway selection process continues in series until the sheet reaches the final intended pathway and proceeds as needed through the rest of the sheet conveying device. However, the problem with this configuration is that the two-path selectors positioned one after the other increase the width of the conveying device because the path selectors are arranged in series one after the other.
The two-path selectors may also be arranged in parallel. The two parallel path selectors are rotated simultaneously with each other. This, however, gives rise to a problem that the path selectors increase the number of actuators at a path selector, which may lower the reliability of the system and increase the shutdown rate due to paper jams. Additionally, this arrangement has a limitation on extending to more than three pathways.
There is a need for a multi-way gate system for diverting sheets into more than two paths of a sheet conveying device including a printing device or nonprinting device. While prior methods for selecting one of three pathways exist, there is a need for a single gate system that does not lower the reliability of the unit, yet provides for accurate distribution of the paper articles and limited time consumption during the path selecting process.